Georgia firm to pay to recycle electronics

Saturday

May 3, 2014 at 10:00 PMMay 3, 2014 at 10:35 PM

After offering drop-off consumer electronic recycling last month, the city of Tuscaloosa has now signed a contract with a Georgia-based company to haul it away.Georgia Computer Inc. of Cumming, Ga., will transport and recycle the electronics collected at the city’s Environmental Services Department (ESD).

By Jason MortonStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

After offering drop-off consumer electronic recycling last month, the city of Tuscaloosa has now signed a contract with a Georgia-based company to haul it away.Georgia Computer Inc. of Cumming, Ga., will transport and recycle the electronics collected at the city’s Environmental Services Department (ESD).ESD Director Shane Daugherty told the City Council’s Public Projects Committee on Thursday that there is no cost to city taxpayers for Georgia Computer to haul away the items.Rather, the company will pay a per-pound fee for each item it takes away.“They’ll be picking up our old computers and paying us for it,” Daugherty said.The city’s electronic recycling drop-off program began April 1. Since then, about 40 people have dropped off unwanted devices at the new Richard A. Curry Environmental Services Complex on Kauloosa Avenue, said ESD Associate Director Stacy Vaughn.Right now, the crews will not be collecting the items from the curbside, so the only way to recycle these electronics is to take them to the Environmental Services Complex between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.Vaughn said that, so far, the only snag has been residents attempting to enter the plant side of the building to deliver the items. Instead, those bringing items to the complex are encouraged to use the front entrance.“We really want to stress to come to the very front door of the administration building to check in first,” Vaughn said.In recent years, the city has hosted an electronic recycling drive once a year in the parking lot of University Mall. Its popularity prompted officials to try and offer the service year-round.“Electronics are the fastest-growing waste stream in America right now, due simply to the fact that when something newer, brighter, faster or shinier comes out, the public tends to buy the new item, and then they have to discard the old one,” Vaughn said.The desire to keep these items out of landfills is rooted in public health. The mercury, lead, cobalt and other contaminants they contain can harm local ecosystems or water tables when they’re dumped into landfills.Vaughn also asks those dropping off computers or other items that store information to erase their personal information before doing so.“An important thing to note is that people need to remove any personal data for their protection,” Vaughn said. “Hard drives are either wiped or shredded, depending on the machine, (but) the city of Tuscaloosa is not responsible for any data left on any device.”For more information or to schedule a delivery of a large amount of electronics, call Tuscaloosa 311 at 205-248-5311 or visit the Environmental Services Department website at www.tuscaloosa.com/ESD.